Quoth Kanmakan， "I mean to throw thee into this stream： it will carry thee to the Tigris. The Tigris will bring thee to the river Isa and the Isa to the Euphrates， and the Euphrates will bear thee to thine own country； so thy people will see thee and know thy manlihead and the sincerity of thy passion." When Subbah heard this， he cried out and said， "O champion of the desert， do not with me the deed of the wicked， but let me go， by the life of thy cousin， the jewel of the fair！" With this， Kanmakan set him down； and when he found himself at liberty， he ran to his sword and buckler and taking them up， stood plotting in himself treachery and a sudden attack on Kanmakan. The latter read his intent in his eye and said to him， "I know what is in thy mind，now thou hast hold of thy sword and buckler. Thou hast neither strength nor skill for wrestling， but thou thinkest that， wert thou on horseback and couldst wheel about and ply me with thy sword， I had been slain long ago. But I will give thee thy will，so there may be no despite left in thy heart. Give me the buckler and fall on me with thy sword； either I shall kill thee or thou me." "Here it is，" answered Subbah and throwing him the shield，drew his sword and rushed at him. Kanmakan took the buckler in his right hand and began to fend himself with it， whilst Subbah struck at him with the sword， saying at each stroke， "This is the finishing one！" But Kanmakan received all his blows on his buckler and they fell harmless， though he did not strike back again， having no weapon of offence； and Subbah ceased not to smite at him， till his arm was weary. When the prince saw this，he rushed at him and seizing him in his arms， shook him and threw him to the ground. Then he turned him over on his face and binding his arms behind him with the hangers of his sword， began to drag him by the feet towards the river： whereupon cried Subbah， "What wilt thou do with me， O youth and cavalier of the age and hero of the field？" "Did I not tell thee，" answered Kanmakan， "that it was my intent to send thee by the river to thy people and thy tribe， lest their hearts be troubled for thee and thou miss thy cousin"s bride-feast？" At this， Subbah shrieked aloud and wept and said， "Do not thus， O champion of the time！
Let me go and make me one of thy servants." And he wept and wailed and recited the following verses：
An outcast from my folk （how long my exile lasts！） am I. Would God I knew if I in this my strangerhood shall die！
I perish， and my folk know not the place where I am slain； I fall in exile， far away from her for whom I sigh.
